Liverpool

Liverpool's population grew in the decade leading up to the most recent census. At the same time there were changes in housing tenure, marriage and health.

The population reached nearly 470,000

In the decade leading up to the most recent census, the population of Liverpool increased by 6.1%, from just over 439,000 to 466,000.

The addition of just under 27,000 people means this area's population increased at a slower rate than the total population of England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Liverpool was home to, on average, 30 people per football pitch-sized piece of land. This made it the North West's second-most densely-populated district.

Population density was higher than the average across the North West

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across the North West, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

Average age stable in Liverpool

Latest census data also show that the median age of Liverpool remained 35 years in the decade to 2011.

This city had a lower average age than the North West and remained somewhat younger than the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).

The fall in age was because of an increase of just over 24,000 people between the ages of 20 and 29 years, while the population between 10 and 19 years decreased by almost 6,000.

About 19% of people in Liverpool are aged between 20 and 29 years

Percentage of usual residents in England, North West and Liverpool by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

Rise in private renting

The percentage of households in Liverpool that rented privately increased from 13% to 23% between the last two censuses.

In 2011, just under 3 in 10 (28%) households lived in social housing, compared with 32% in 2001. The percentage of Liverpool households that owned their home decreased from 52% to 47%.

The proportion of privately rented homes increased faster here than the figure for the whole of the North West (from 8.5% in 2001 to 15% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 9.9% to 17%.

Private renting in Liverpool increased by 10 percentage points

Percentage of households in Liverpool, the North West and England that rented privately, March 2001 and March 2011

Disability in Liverpool

The percentage of Liverpool residents whose day-to-day activities are limited a lot by a long-term health problem or disability increased from 4.8% to 5.1% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

The percentage who reported being limited a little in their day-to-day activities remained close to 6.1%, while the percentage of Liverpool residents whose day-to-day activities are not limited by a long-term health problem or disability remained close to 89%.

The proportion of people who are considerably limited by a long-term health problem or disability increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the North West (from 3.7% in 2001 to 4.4% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 3.1% to 3.8%.

The proportion of people who are limited a lot by a long-term health problem or disability was higher than across the North West

Percentage of usual residents that reported being considerably limited in their day-to-day activities across local authority areas in the North West and the average across England, March 2011

More single people in Liverpool

Liverpool saw the North West's largest rise in the proportion of people who had never been married or in a civil partnership.

In 2011, just under one in two (50%) people aged 16 and over in Liverpool said they were single, compared with 42% in 2001. The percentage that said they were married decreased from 38% to 32%.

Across the region, Salford saw the next largest increase in the proportion of people who had never been married or in a civil partnership (from 35% in 2001 to 43% in 2011).

Every local authority area across the North West saw a rise in the proportion of people who had never been married or in a civil partnership, as the regional average grew from 30% to 36%.

The proportion of people who had never married or entered a civil partnership was higher than across the North West

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 and over that said they were single across local authority areas in the North West and the average across England, March 2011

Health improved

The percentage of Liverpool residents that described their health as bad or very bad decreased from 14% to 8.8% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

In 2011, just under 8 in 10 (77%) said their health was good or very good, compared with 64% in 2001. The percentage of Liverpool residents that described their health as fair decreased from 22% to 14%.

The proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad fell here at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the North West (from 11% in 2001 to 6.8% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 9.1% to 5.5%.

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in Liverpool decreased by 5 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Liverpool, the North West and England said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

Fewer homes with children

Liverpool saw the North West's second-largest fall in the proportion of households with children.

In 2011, just over one in four (26%) households in Liverpool had at least one dependent child, compared with 30% in 2001. The percentage with no children increased from 59% to 63%.

Across the region, only Burnley saw a greater fall in the proportion of households with children (from 34% to 29%).

The proportion of households with children was lower than across the North West

Percentage of households with at least one dependent child across local authority areas in the North West and the average across England, March 2011

More students

The percentage of Liverpool residents that were studying increased from 3.4% to 5.6% in the decade to 2011.

In 2011, just under one in two (45%) people aged 16 to 74 said they were employed, compared with 41% in 2001. The percentage of Liverpool residents that were unemployed increased from 6.0% to 6.7%.

The proportion of students increased faster here than the figure for the whole of the North West (from 2.5% in 2001 to 3.5% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 2.6% to 3.5%.

The percentage of students in Liverpool increased by 2.2 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 in Liverpool, the North West and England that said they were in education, March 2001 and March 2011

Change in unpaid care provision

The percentage of Liverpool residents that provided at least 50 hours of weekly unpaid care remained close to 3.2% in the decade to 2011.

The percentage who reported providing between 20 and 49 hours of unpaid care each week remained close to 1.7%.

The proportion of people providing 50 hours, or more, of weekly unpaid care increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the North West (from 2.4% in 2001 to 2.8% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 2.1% to 2.4%.

The proportion of people providing 50 hours, or more, of weekly unpaid care in Liverpool remained close to 3.2%

Percentage of usual residents in England, North West and Liverpool by care, March 2001 and March 2011

More people worked short hours

Liverpool saw the North West's third-largest rise in the proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week.

In 2011, just under 1 in 25 (3.7%) people aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Liverpool said they had worked less than 16 hours the previous week, compared with 2.0% in 2001. The percentage that worked over 49 hours in a week decreased from 8.7% to 6.8%.

Across the region, only Manchester (from 2.5% to 4.5%) and Preston (from 2.1% to 4.0%) saw a greater increase in the proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week.

Every local authority area across the North West saw a rise in the proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week, as the regional average grew from 1.7% to 3.0%.

The proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week in Liverpool increased by 1.8 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Liverpool, the North West and England that said they had worked less than 16 hours the week before completing the census, March 2001 and March 2011

Religion in Liverpool

The number of people in Liverpool that described themselves as Christian decreased from just under 350,000 in 2001 to just over 330,000 in 2011. This represents a change from 79% to 71% of the local population.

The percentage decreased by less than the average across the North West (from 78% to 67%) and the average across England (from 72% to 59%).

The number of people in Liverpool that described themselves as having no religion increased from about 43,000 in 2001 to just under 83,000 in 2011 (from 9.7% to 18%). The number of people who did not disclose their religious affiliation decreased from about 36,000 to just over 29,000 (from 8.1% to 6.2%).

Just over 15,000 people (1.4%) said they were Muslim, up from about 5,900 in 2001 (3.3%).

The population who identified as Christian in Liverpool decreased by 8.5 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, North West and Liverpool by religion, March 2001 and March 2011

More people cohabiting

The percentage of households in Liverpool, which comprised a cohabiting couple, increased from 6.2% to 8.4% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

In 2011, just under 4 in 10 (39%) households had only one person, compared with 37% in 2001. While the percentage of households in Liverpool which comprised a married couple (with or without children) decreased from 26% to 23%.

The proportion of households with an unmarried couple increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the North West (from 7.9% in 2001 to 9.8% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 8.3% to 9.9%.

The percentage of households with a cohabiting couple in Liverpool increased by 2.3 percentage points

Percentage of households in Liverpool, the North West and England that had an unmarried couple, March 2001 and March 2011

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